Part of the ARRL Sweepstakes exchange is the last two digits, of the year first licensed.

Below is a count of checks (with 1900 or 2000 added) that I logged in the most recent CW sweeps. Note the most obvious peak in late 50's/early 60's, with a long tail and what looks like a secondary peak in the mid-late 70's. It's encouraging to see new ops participating.

My log mirrors that, with a peak at 1958-60, 62-62, and then 76-78. It is surprising from my log, and yours, that there was a BIG drop in 1979-80, what happened then?!?!?

Also, remember the Check is not REQUIRED to be the actual year of first license, it just must be the same for all contact. (Nobody ever "checks" your Check!) I know many guys who use "73" and "55" as checks because they are easy to copy and unlikely to require a repeat!

I know many guys who use "73" and "55" as checks because they are easy to copy and unlikely to require a repeat!

Yeah, I see the big spike on 55 in the distribution I posted, I hadn't noticed that before.

I think the concept that 55 is easy to copy is a misconception spread by contesters concerned with nothing but rate, rate, rate and not caring about accuracy. I remember the Spanish station EE5E in a DX contest just a few years ago, by far it was the most commonly busted call. To me it sounded like a bozo with a stuck or runaway keyer paddle.

It's probably easier to copy all dits at a reasonable WPM (like 25) than it is at the speed that running big gun stations send their call in the DX contests (45 to 50 WPM).

One of the guys I worked (I think from PR?) had a check of 11 and he was cruising along at 30+ wpm. I had to ask again, it seemed odd that a newly licensed Ham would be chugging along in a contest at 30+wpm.

Any you are right, it IS all about rate (obviously). That is why sending a SIMPLE check increases rate and why EE5E is a silly callsign.

One of the guys I worked (I think from PR?) had a check of 11 and he was cruising along at 30+ wpm. I had to ask again, it seemed odd that a newly licensed Ham would be chugging along in a contest at 30+wpm.

The check can be the date of the station rather than the op. A newly-formed club station could have a check of 11, yet be run by OTs. (In a multiop situation, you have to pick one check for the entire contest; you can't change the number when you change ops).

Some of the truly ancient checks on the list are probably club stations.

In fact, since mandatory licensing in the USA started in 1912 and there were club stations active before WW1 that survive today, we may soon see "overlap" checks.

I don't know what sweepstakes are, sort of trick of local shopping centre to get you more buying than you are able to afford, and hence putting next recession in starting position, because at the time you pay your debts you can't spent the money at consumer products, that you really don't need.

However, I like to keep my innocence, and don't want to know what exactly sweepstakes has to do with CW.

When I see 2011 1 it must be the year of licensing and not the year of birth of the holder. Amazing then somebody licensed in 1924,

As a matter of fact, is this list not accepted as proof of my statement that CW is going to die within 30 years?

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